St Michael and All Angels: Live at Five
Rev Kristin Schultz
March 2, 2014

Do not be afraid
These words echo throughout the Scriptures, appearing time and again in the stories of the lives of God’s people

We hear these words when someone is facing a particular challenge or change,
            like Abraham waiting decades for a son in an unknown land,
            or Joshua taking on leadership of God’s people after Moses dies.
Both Isaiah and Jeremiah, struggling with the very difficult task of bringing God’s call to repentance and faithfulness to the people of Israel, are told,
            “Do not be afraid, because I am with you.”
And they in turn bring that message to the people –
Do not be afraid – times are hard, but God has not forsaken us.

Throughout the Psalms, there are images of God as hiding place, as protector,
            as the one who cares for us and protects us from danger.

Do not be afraid.
These words also appear when God reveals God’s-self and God’s glory
When Moses sees a bush that burns and is not consumed, and hears the voice of God from the bush, God tells him, “Do not be afraid – I will be with you.”
When an angel comes to Mary and Zechariah to tell them of miraculous babies to be born,
            they BEGIN with the words, Do not be afraid.
When an angel appears to the shepherds, and the sky fills with God’s joyful glory,
            the first words are “Do not be afraid! I bring you good news”
Apparently, when one comes face to face with God, it is natural to be afraid.

Which is precisely what happens to Peter, James and John on the mountain top.
Jesus has invited them to come with him to walk on the mountain.
When they get to the top, Jesus is transfigured –
            his appearance changes,  his clothing and his face shine with light.
Moses and Elijah – the most revered religious figures in Israelite history –
            appear with him and speak to him.
And there is a voice – I imagine the kind of voice that fills your ears and your mind at once
Like James Earle Jones, or maybe like Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings.
“This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”
The disciples, quite naturally, fall to the ground in fear.
And that’s when Jesus says it.
He comes to them, and touches them, and says,
            “Get up and Do not be afraid”

Peter, James and John have come face to face with a new reality.
Jesus has just finished telling them that he will be killed.
They are struggling against the idea that their friend and leader will die – that their journey of faith will lead, not to comfort and safety, but to fear and betrayal.
Then they see Jesus filled with the power of God and are reminded of their task
            to listen to him, to not just hear but to follow and commit themselves to him,
wherever that journey goes.

So it is no wonder that the words they most need to hear in that moment are,
Do not be afraid.
They are words of assurance that have accompanied God’s people through the centuries.
Do not be afraid, because I am with you
Whatever trials you face, I face them with you

I discovered this week a debate on the internet about whether the words, Do Not Be Afraid, Fear Not, or similar statements actually appear precisely 365 times  in the Bible – once for every day of the year.
I didn’t follow up enough to make a judgment, but it struck me:
Both the number of times the words appear in scripture, and the internet debate about them now 2 thousand years after the scriptures were written, make me think that I am not the only person who struggles with fear.
Fear is a pretty natural human response.
Fear that we won’t have enough.
Fear that we will lose what is most important.
Fear that we will not be loved.
Fear that we are not good enough.
It has also been a time of loss and change at St Michael’s,
            a time of uncertainty about the future and what will happen next.  .
When we feel such anxiety rising, it is good to remember these words –
            Get up, and do not fear. I will be with you.

My favorite preacher and blogger, David Lose, wrote this week that “this scene has been called by some a “displaced resurrection story” -- the dazzling white, the command to be raised, the injunction to fear not. It parallels the resurrection scene except in this scene it is not Jesus’ resurrection but that of the disciples, as they are pulled from their fear and failure to new life and courage.
“And what’s interesting to me is that Jesus doesn’t, at least at this moment, rebuke them for their failure, or call them to repentance, or grant them forgiveness. Rather, he calls them to be raised and to shed their fear, sending them forth into life restored and renewed.”

By their experience on the mountain with Jesus,
            Peter, James and John are called more deeply into discipleship.
It is an invitation which comes to us also – to listen to Jesus, be attentive to his call,
            and to follow him with all of our lives.
Sometimes, when we sense God’s presence and God’s claim on our lives,
            we fall into fear.
Sometimes the circumstances of our lives overwhelm us and drive us into fear.
When this happens, God does not scold or rebuke or chastise,
            but instead calls us to get up, to be raised, to be free of fear,
and to continue walking by his side.

God’s voice echoes through the ages, assuring God’s beloved people:
Do not be afraid, for I am with you.

Thanks be to God.
Amen

May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of our hearts, be acceptable in your sight, Oh Lord. For you are our strength and our redeemer. Amen.

In the scripture readings, we hear of the shining faces of those who communicate with God. In fact, we are called to tear off the veil of Moses and to speak the truth boldly.

So how is God speaking to us now?

As a Lutheran pastor’s daughter, who only reluctantly takes on the role of Sunday School Teacher, I feel a great trepidation by standing behind the pulpit on the Sunday of the reading of the Transfiguration.
So I trust that the answer to this question, “How is God speaking to us now?” will be answered through the biographies that these students have chosen. Reverend Susan lent me a book, “Ten Amazing People and How They Changed the World.”

I paraphrase from the introduction, “Here in this book are ten human beings, like Desmond Tutu, Dorothy Day, Black Elk, Mahatma Gandhi, who lived in the past, yet remain with us today. What they believed, and even more important, what they did to uphold their beliefs, values, and principles keeps them still very much alive with us. These ten people from the past can help us all think of the future: what needs to be done if this world of ours is to become a better one for all who enter it as children.”
The Live at Five Sunday School program has begun in fits and starts, but with these students, we have begun an inquiry process that is a spiritual pilgrimage. We do not know where this profound undertaking will lead us, but we trust in God to guide our way.

As a community, we knew that we wanted to have the children be more active participants in our worship together. Consider this some of the early fruits of our intentions, and efforts.

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Albert Schweitzer was born in Europe, but spent much of his adult life in Africa. He was a successful musician and pastor, but chose to go to medical school even after having much success in life. Schweitzer decided that he wanted to show his belief in God by working with his hands, as Jesus did, and by caring for other people. He chose to go to Medical School when he heard about how desperately doctors were needed in Africa.

In Africa, he worked hard to cure people of tropical diseases like malaria and sleeping sickness. He built hospitals and kept writing about how to follow Jesus. When he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, he used the million-dollar prize to build a special colony for people with leprosy. His reverence for all living things is an inspiration for many today.

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Martin Luther King Junior first heard about Gandhi’s idea of peaceful protest when he was studying to become a Baptist minister in Pennsylvania. When he returned to Montgomery, Alabama, he put those ideas to work in nonviolent protests to end segregation between Blacks and Whites. He organized bus boycotts and brought the black churches together to work for justice and the end of racism in the South.
King is best remembered for his speech in Washington, DC, when he shared his dream of a time when all God’s children would live in freedom. Like Schweitzer, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his civil rights work. His dream of freedom is an inspiration for many today.
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“I’m for truth, no matter who tells it.
I’m for justice, no matter who it’s for or against.
I believe in recognizing every human being as a human being—neither white, black, brown, or red.”

Malcolm X started out life as a young criminal who was put in prison for armed robbery. But he turned his life around by converting to Islam and working for the empowerment of African Americans. He rejected his given name, Malcolm Little, and became Malcolm X to symbolize the legacy of his family that was lost through slavery.

For many years, he was the minister of a temple in New York City and worked to improve conditions in black communities throughout the United States. In 1964, Malcolm X went on a sacred pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. When he saw blacks and whites together offering prayers to Allah, the Arabic name of God, it gave him hope that all races could live in harmony. For choosing courage over fear throughout his life, he is an inspiration for many today.

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What veils have been stripped away for you today? That those who pray to Allah are praying to someone different? That powerful words don’t come from the young? Perhaps we all already knew Schweitzer’s insight, that Jesus comes to us as one unknown, and speaks to us from our own personal experience.

Just like the candles you brought in to bless last week, and the way their light can lead you in your path, we can also see this light through others, who can reveal the light of God’s countenance to us.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

 
Albert Schweitzer was born in Europe, but spent much of his adult life in Africa. He was a successful musician and pastor, but chose to go to medical school even after having much success in life. Schweitzer decided that he wanted to show his belief in God by working with his hands, as Jesus did, and by caring for other people. He chose to go to Medical School when he heard about how desperately doctors were needed in Africa.
In Africa, he worked hard to cure people of tropical diseases like malaria and sleeping sickness. He built hospitals and kept writing about how to follow Jesus. When he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, he used the million-dollar prize to build a special colony for people with leprosy. His reverence for all living things is an inspiration for many today.
 
Martin Luther King Junior first heard about Gandhi’s idea of peaceful protest when he was studying to become a Baptist minister in Pennsylvania. When he returned to Montgomery, Alabama, he put those ideas to work in nonviolent protests to end segregation between Blacks and Whites. He organized bus boycotts and brought the black churches together to work for justice and the end of racism in the South.
King is best remembered for his speech in Washington, DC, when he shared his dream of a time when all God’s children would live in freedom. Like Schweitzer, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his civil rights work. His dream of freedom is an inspiration for many today.
 
“I’m for truth, no matter who tells it.
I’m for justice, no matter who it’s for or against.
I believe in recognizing every human being as a human being—neither white, black, brown, or red.”

Malcolm X started out life as a young criminal who was put in prison for armed robbery. But he turned his life around by converting to Islam and working for the empowerment of African Americans. He rejected his given name, Malcolm Little, and became Malcolm X to symbolize the legacy of his family that was lost through slavery.

For many years, he was the minister of a temple in New York City and worked to improve conditions in black communities throughout the United States. In 1964, Malcolm X went on a sacred pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. When he saw blacks and whites together offering prayers to Allah, the Arabic name of God, it gave him hope that all races could live in harmony. For choosing courage over fear throughout his life, he is an inspiration for many today.